Chapter 5! Leave reviews and suggestions on how to get the story to be better (For example, past or present tense writing).
Also: Thanks to Bruce77, mcoombes, and HowtheHoursGoBy for being the first reviewers, keep them coming!
The leather wrapped pommel of Riptide was still warm and comfortable in his hand, but the blade seemed heavier, less balanced, almost as if the weapon had a mind of its own and was disappointed that its master had failed it in the moment when it mattered most. There wasn't anything special about this blade anymore, it didn't seem to hum in anger as it carved holes in the enemy, it didn't feel like an extension of his arm - and that weighed Percy down.
Ever since Chiron had thrown the ballpoint pen at him, Riptide had always been more than just a sword - it was alive with his father's power and the spirits of all those who had supported him, and when Zoe died and Percy learned of its true origins, her spirit had joined as well. But he had grown used to it, and when that sense of familiarity fled with his honor when he had dropped the sword, it became more of a liability than anything. He was slower, clumsier, weaker.
Twice the sword had nearly cost his life and the entire quest, and Percy still burned with shame from those moments. Dropping his sword out of pure fear was a mistake that hurt his pride and self esteem - nearly jeopardizing a mission by losing to a bronze chicken woman was even worse. There would not be a third time where he would make such a mistake.
And if he did fail to prove himself worthy to wield Riptide once again, he would train with it until the new unfamiliarity with the sword became his new familiarity.
Which was why he had agreed to Jason's challenge.
They circled each other slowly, looking for weaknesses in each other's stance.
When Jason slightly misstepped and ended up on his heel instead of the balls of his foot, Percy darted forward, eyes blazing, and sword arm extended. A clang! rang out as Jason twirled his gladius and parried the blade before going on the counterattack.
His movements were focused, coordinated, efficient and forced Percy on the defensive. Jason slashed, Percy parried and leapt back as the son of Jupiter twisted his wrist and turned his slice into a jab, continuously pressing forward. As he continued to step forward, and the golden blade neared Percy's ribcage, Percy was forced to dive out of the way and curl into a roll.
He came up just in time to parry the gladius, and continued to frantically retreat backward, until he slowly began backing up into a corner made by the mast and a pile of crates. Jason smiled, and began to fight harder, being careful not to extend himself too hard, but enough to slowly force the son of Poseidon into the trap that he saw.
Desperately, Percy slashed at the taller demigod, trying to use his unpredictability to push Jason off balance, but once again, he parried and kicked at Percy. The son of Poseidon fell to a crouch, swearing, and rolled backward. When he stood, he found himself caught in a corner, what Jason had been planning for in the very beginning.
Jason grinned, "Game over, Jackson."
He feinted a cut and Percy fell for it, attempting to parry it, but his blade swished through the air. A victorious smile spread across the younger boy's face as he jabbed at the older boy's now exposed neck.
It never even neared its mark.
In that one moment, Percy slipped to the slide, allowing Jason's blade to slightly skim his skin before using the pommel of Riptide to strike Jason's wrist. The golden gladius fell from his hand and into Percy's own grip. Percy pressed the gladius into Jason's neck and watched as his younger cousin lifted his hands.
"Game over, son of Jupiter," he wasn't even winded. In fact, Percy was elated.
It was disturbing, this sadistic sense of satisfaction at being able to bring the son of Jupiter to his knees so easily. Percy could sense the rest of the Argo II's nervous gazes upon his back, and he wanted to laugh. He knew what they must've been wondering, how the son of Poseidon had managed to turn the tables so easily, almost as if he had planned it the entire moment.
They were right.
And it felt so good to make such a fool of Jason.
Just kill him already, you know he wants to take your spot, something whispered to him.
"Okay, okay, you can stop now, you win!" Jason shouted, a tiny drop of blood falling from his neck as Percy began to cut through the thin membrane that protected his jugular chord.
Percy didn't lower the blade, and his mouth twisted into a smile.
"Percy! Stop!" a vaguely familiar voice shouted, maybe it was Piper?
He ignored it, and continued to cut through this pathetic demigod's neck.
All of a sudden, soft, comforting hands pressed against his chest and gripped his arm, lowering it.
"Percy," this new voice was soft and comforting and sent the other voices in his head scampering away for safety, "I'm here."
And suddenly, he awoke, eyes wide and filled with horror and shame. He threw the swords as far away from him as he could, staring at his hands in terror.
Oh gods... was I really going to- ?
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Percy groaned and pressed his hands into his head. "I'm so sorry Jason."
"Well, at least you proved your point," Jason laughed awkwardly.
"For fuck's sake, I would've killed you!"
"Nah, you would've stopped yourself."
No I wouldn't have.
"I hope," Percy muttered.
Jason smiled, "Whatever, it's fine. Want a rematch?"
Percy winked, "You bet."
In one motion, Percy kicked up Riptide.
Jason grinned, "With powers this time?"
"That would be a really bad idea," Percy snorted.
"Yeah, we've got to be miles from the ocean."
He snorted, "I don't need an ocean to beat you."
"Yeah, well, we're thousands of feet above the ground right now, and last I checked, you couldn't fly."
Percy smirked, "Don't be too sure abou-"
He lunged forward and slashed, but he could see that Jason had been expecting it and parried the attack. This time, Percy could see that Jason was ready for whatever tricks he might have up his sleeve.
"Last time I underestimated you, this time, the win's going to me," Jason smirked.
"Whatever you say, Grace."
They circled each other, trading cuts and jabs as Jason tried to feel out Percy's fighting style. Percy smirked, Jason would find that pretty hard to do, but he let the son of Jupiter believe that he was succeeding. Slowly, their pace began to increase as both demigods seemed to get a grasp of each others style.
You've got to destroy him, Jackson, you have to beat him.
I will. Now fuck off.
Their blades became blurs of bronze and gold, their bodies weaved in and out as they tried to draw blood from the other, but never succeeding. Jason continued to increase his pace, going faster and faster until he couldn't anymore. They traded blows, ducked each others blades, bob and wove, parried every strike, but slowly, Jason felt himself tire.
The beads of sweat dripping down into his eyes hurt, his arms were sore and his entire body just wanted to relax and give up after so much sparring, and the entire Argo II was watching, he couldn't let them see him lose after how he trash talked Percy so many times from before. Out of the corner of the eye, he sensed Leo and Hazel watching Percy admiringly, and he swore underneath his breath.
At least Percy seems to be tiring as well, Jason thought to himself, as he watched the son of Poseidon wipe away a bead of sweat from his eye.
Oh, how wrong he was.
In that one moment, Percy increased his speed, Riptide became a snake that twisted and danced around his clumsy gladius, attacking at times, playing cat and mouse.
And then Riptide began to move even faster. Percy was an absolute storm of power and speed, and his body seemed to know no limits as Riptide continued to blaze through the air, easily knocking away Jason's weak attempts at a counterattack. Fighting Percy was like fighting a thousand men at once, he had never encountered someone, besides maybe Krios, that could fight this well.
He sped up again, and again. And each time Jason thought, That has to be this guy's limit, there's no way any demigod can move this fast, Percy stepped up the tempo. And even then, although Jason could see the sweat that coated the other boy's face, and each heavy inhale and exhale, the son of Poseidon was still hardly trying.
At last, Percy ended it, casually twisting his wrist downward and catching Jason's gladius in Riptide's cross guard, disarming him.
There was a certain satisfaction in Percy's eyes, as if he had proved something to himself, but at least this time, he wasn't wearing that very un–Percy smile.
"Good job," he said, smiling slightly.
Jason snorted, "You destroyed me."
"Maybe, but I warned you," Percy grinned, "I don't need an ocean to beat you."
"Point taken," Jason said, and collapsed on a stool, trying to avoid eye contact with the rest of the crew.
"Damn, guess Tartarus wasn't too bad for him after all," Leo murmured.
Annabeth's voice was quiet and deadly,"Not too bad?"
"N-n-no I didn't mean it that way."
"NOT TOO BAD? YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S DOWN THERE." She stormed away.
Frank and Hazel followed after her, with Leo trailing behind them, looking guilty.
Even Piper moved to follow after them, but she chose Jason instead, noticing the look in his eyes.
"Hey, it's alright, don't let him bother you," she said soothingly.
"Yeah, I try, but the way he beat me, it was so... deliberate," Jason looked up into her multicolored eyes, "You know?"
"He's older, he's more experienced."
"Still, that's no excuse for me losing so badly, besides, there's absolutely no way any mortal should be able to move that fast."
"It's alright, he has his strengths, you have yours. You know that he was trained as a hero, not as a member of a team, unlike you. You're a better leader, you're less of a trouble maker, and you sure as Hades are handsomer."
"Don't let Annabeth hear you say that," he laughed.
She smiled, "I won't."
"Do you think, after the war, maybe..."
"I don't know," Piper sighed, "It's just that, we might all die, and..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I just hope that you'll be there with me, alright?"
"I promise," Piper whispered.
"Come on, let's go."
She leaned down, and helped him up, holding his hand as they made their way to their quarters.
First fight scene, how'd it go?